Chapter 18

"I'm worried about security at the ranch, Flint," David said. The two men were returning to the compound after meeting Ridley and the runaway.

"That effort starts Wednesday, David," Flint said. "A while back, I recruited Carol's driver, a woman named Molly Mahaffey. But Molly had to take care of some personal items, or she would have started sooner. Although we talked about it, I didn't give Darla and Carol a choice regarding gender for a driver. Circumstances put Dwayne at the compound, and frankly that would have been my preference anyway. Under my direction, Molly will run security at the ranch. She's a better leader than Dwayne. She'll start the job on Wednesday."
"That's good," David said. "What else?"

"Joe designated a room in the cottage for my use as the security center, and I can use a closet next to that room for the armory."

"I thought Joe put Tom Jensen in the cottage," David said.

"He did, and Joe informed Tom about the room and closet I'd be using. Tom didn't have a problem with it."

"What about a safe room?"

"We selected a room in the big house for a temporary safe room. The permanent safe room will be included in the new construction, also the security room and armory."

"What about the wall and gates?" David said.

Flint groaned. "That got screwed up. They were included in the design for the new living units, and those plans were just submitted to get a building permit. I'm told the permit won't be issued for weeks."

"Crap," David muttered. He thought about the problem briefly and said, "How about putting up a temporary fence? An eight-foot-high chain-link fence and temporarily hook your intrusion alarms to this fence. Put it outside the line for the permanent wall and use the temporary fence for a construction fence, as well."

"With some temporary video and infrared cameras, that'd work," Flint said. "What about gates?"

"Temporary gates. Leave them open during the day. Close and padlock them at night." David said.

Flint nodded and said, "Not elegant but better than nothing."

"How about a couple of dogs?" David said.

"For dog's to be effective, we'd need either a dog handler, or a no-man's land, preferably both. Once the security equipment is installed and the security room manned, dogs as a warning system would be redundant. Still, a pet dog could supply some warning. I'll talk with Joe and Carol about it."

"Talk with them about the temporary fence and gates while you're at it," David said. "To change the subject, give me your thoughts regarding Eileen."

Flint sighed audibly. "I figured you'd ask me about her. Eileen is fourteen going on twenty-one. She's sexually active, has a dirty mouth, has experimented with drugs and booze, and has been a hooker for six months. She's a delinquent teenager, in other words, trouble with a capital T. With that said, I must admit that I like her. Did she lie to you?"

"Besides some omissions, not that I'm aware of at this point. I'll spend more time in her past tonight," David said.

"She wants out the life she's living, but she doesn't want to return to the life she was in when she ran away," Flint said. "I suspect her attitude isn't unique when it comes to runaways, but with the right assistance and guidance, I think she could and would — as you're prone to say — be all she can be."

"Should I move her into the compound?"

Flint hesitated, and then said, "That'd be a risk I wouldn't take right now. Let's talk again after you spend some more time in her past."

David nodded.

"What about the future? Can't you visit her future, too?" Flint said.

"One of many possible futures, Flint. Our futures are being altered constantly by the decisions we make and by the decisions others around us make every second during our ever-changing present. I'll look at her near-term future, but I can't rely on what I observe to make any decisions in the present. The past can't be changed. The future is ever-changing."

Flint shook his head. "That boggles my mind. Makes sense, though."

David explained about his future safety-checks and gave Nora's absence at Joe and Carol's wedding as an example. "We changed everything about that wedding, Flint, but those changes were incidental, I believe, because shortly before the wedding, I also stopped a fatal automobile accident that I saw in Nora's near-term future. I called her in the present and told her not to drive a car for an hour. This altered her future, and she avoided the accident. I can give you a half-dozen similar examples." David grinned. "So, pay attention if I tell you that your future needs to be altered."

"Jesus," Flint muttered.

"Flint..."

"I know. I need a new expression for shock or amazement."

"Can you get your hands on a throw-away cell phone with an area code outside Arizona?" David said.

"Probably. Why?"

"I think Eileen should call her mother," David said.

After Carol left to return to the ranch, Darla went looking for Maria Gonzales who had offered to watch George while Carol and Darla met with the architect. She found Maria with George in the great room. Maria was on the floor helping the boy building something with Legos. Darla watched them for a while.

She's very good with children, Darla decided. She's patient, has a good understanding of childish fun, and can get down on the child's level. She'll make a good foster mother.

Darla stepped into the room. "Hi Maria," she said. "Sorry you had to tend George longer than expected. The meeting went on and on." A lie. The meeting ended on time. What went on longer than expected was Darla's tryst with her mother, that and their discussion about comparing other men with David.

Darla sat on the floor with Maria and George.

"No problem, Darla," Maria said. "He's a darling boy. So happy! Smart, too." She chuckled. "And quick. Gotta watch him every second."

"He is quick. I watched you for a moment before I came into the room. You're very good with children."

"Truth be told, I'd rather spend my time with children than with adults," Maria said. "I know that you, David and Nora will be Vince's foster parents, not me, but I'm looking forward to spending some time with him. Have you spent much time with Patty?"

"Not really, George keeps me busy," Darla said. "She seems like a nice girl, though."

"I spent some time with her this morning," Maria said. With a chuckle, she added, "She's going to give Mary fits."

"Oh? Why?" Darla said.

"As a guess, I'd say her I.Q. is at the genius level."

"Really?"

"Sí, I mean yes."

"Sí is fine, Maria. I know the word. Why would a child with a high I.Q. give Mary fits?"

"Keeping her interested in school will be the problem. I taught elementary school for two years before I married my first husband. Smart children, unless challenged, become bored and tune out their teachers."

"I didn't know you were a teacher," Darla said as George climbed onto her lap. She hugged him. He squirmed out of her arms, slid off her lap onto the floor, and ran away.

"I let my credentials expire many years ago," Maria said.

"Does Mary know you were a teacher?" Darla said.

"No."

"Could you teach the children Spanish?" Darla said as she hurried to grab George as he jumped onto the hearth of the fireplace.

"Yes! Oh, I'd like that." Maria's dark eyes danced with excitement.

With George's hand firmly in hers, Darla said, "Let's go find Mary and talk with her about this."

Mary's shoulders drooped and she sighed. "I'll only be here for a few weeks, Darla."

"There's that. Let's talk with Mary about it anyway. I know she plans to hire part-time teachers for various subjects. Perhaps you could return for an hour or two each day to teach Spanish. With so many Hispanics in the country now, knowing how to speak Spanish would be helpful for Vince and Patty's future, and I understand Dwayne's daughter will be joining us on Wednesday."

"I don't know. I'd like to do it. The idea thrills me, but..."

"Why are you hesitating, Maria?"

"When I leave here, I'll be taking in foster children myself. Even if it's only an hour or two a day, I might not be able to leave them to teach here."

"You could hire help for those hours, Maria. The change of pace will do you good. Besides, you'll be paid to teach, paid more than you'll have to pay for some help with your foster children."

"That might work. Let's do talk with Mary."

Holding hands, David and Nora walked slowly around the compound. The landscape was ablaze with color. The deep reds of bougainvilleas competed for dominance with the orange and yellow blossoms of red birds of paradise. Tiny purple flowers smothered soft, blue-green sage bushes, and the plumes of fountain grasses waved in the breeze. A roadrunner darted across their path. Unafraid, birds chirped and doves cooed. They wandered off the running course for about fifty feet into a copse of sissoo trees and sat in two Adirondack chairs. The sissoo leaves flickered in the late afternoon sun like a million green butterflies. The copse was a favorite place for David and Nora. If one or the other suggested taking a walk, they ended up in the copse to talk, or make love, or both.

"Tomorrow morning, Nora, we become the parents of an eleven-year-old boy," David said.

"Yes, we do," she said.

"We have two years, more or less, before teen hormones make their appearance and turn him into a cross between an adult and a child," David said.

Nora chuckled and said, "Important years, those two years. What should we teach him?"

"How to be a likeable human being," David said.

Nora nodded. "I like that. To be likeable he must like himself."

"Yep," David said.

"With the way we've become, we will teach him charity," Nora said.

"Yes, we will," David said. "And with the way we are, we will teach him how to love and be loved." He grunted. "And I'm not talking about sex with that comment."

"I didn't think you were, David," Nora said. "Except in extraordinary circumstances, adults shouldn't have sex with children."

"Extraordinary circumstances like my mother and me?" David said.

"Yes." She huffed. "With the way you are, you weren't a child at the time, your chronological age to the contrary."